You’d never know that I had knee replacement surgery two weeks ago today if it weren’t for the slight problem I have with bending my left knee while walking.  I’m not using the cane or walker anymore– the walker (I think) contributed to the ham string problem the other day– and I’m not concerned for my balance because I don’t slow down enough to worry about it.  Now if I could just conquer the pain management, I’d be set.

I’ve got two weeks left of my disability time so I’ve got time to finish the pain management and, of course, I’ve only got two more Coumadin blood tests (today and Thursday).  I’m really glad I had the procedure and would highly recommend it to anyone considering it, that’s for sure!  So much better than the pre-op pain of the arthritis, any day of the week!!

Pre-Op Physical Therapy – Check (groan, moan, and complaint inserted here)

Joint Camp – Check (Seriously?)

Move sewing room upstairs to dining room – Check (That was why we redecorated in there, right?  Sure– the dining table is a perfect sewing table!)

Finish Work – not quite there yet but close.

I am looking forward to the surgery– the pain is going to be different but over soon enough after so I’m definitely looking forward to surgery.

Not that I’m a One Track Mind person or anything but that’s about all I can focus on at one time.

So close and yet so far.

Well, it was end-of-fiscal year and end-of month and end-of-quarter all rolled into one and I am just about ready to roll into bed.  I worked until 7 on Wednesday, 8 on Thursday and 9 on Friday and am REALLY tired on top of hurting from being off my pain killing meds (see below).

The good news is that it is a three-day weekend and I have three days to recuperate– it’ll probably take two and a half days to do so that works out well.

. . . They (the hospital/medical personnel) make me go off of everything from Omega 3-6-9 to glucosamine with chondroitin which means, that my Mobic is definitely OUT!  As a result, I’m only 24 hours off medication and in a whole lot of hurt– ALREADY!

I’m so not looking forward to hurting this much before the surgery.

Ooh, not until NEXT weekend, eh?  Man, I so need it now– talk about needing a little Christmas!!

. . . The quarterly cortizone shot that I got in early October wore off early in the week of the 5th.  Since then, I’ve been dealing with the dull ache that’s left over after my Mobic takes effect.  Of course, that doesn’t cover the muscle pain that’s being created by favoring my left knee and hip and the physical therapy exercises.  Joyful, eh?

After hip PT on Monday night, I shipped out the box going to my step-daughter (usually referred to as “daughter” because it is just shorter and she’s so sweet!).  She got it on Wednesday and opened it– on the floor.  Aiden got to his birthday present before she could stop him so he tried on his hat and scarf.  The hat is too small but I think I have enough yarn to make another one once Kortney gets me his head measurement.  He also likes his stocking and I’ll get a picture of it up here as soon as I can figure out how to download pictures from my camera again.

Because of the new keyboard that Brian installed over the weekend, things have had to get moved around on USB ports and my camera is hooked up to a temporary USB and fighting the download.  Needless to say, for someone who wants to take pictures of merchandise for selling on a website, that’s not a good thing.  I’ll have Tech Support check it out over the weekend and tell me what’s happening or not.

Other than that, the greeting cards are out, the gifts are done (except one that Kortney doesn’t know about yet!), and we’re declining all invitations for Christmas.  Sorry but I don’t want to catch anything (and you know I would!) before my surgery!

Several (4 is “several”, right?) people I know have had a knee replacement surgery.  All together, 5 knees have been replaced and, for NONE of the surgeries, has any of them done any pre-op physical therapy.  Interesting.

The hospital that I’ll be in has a “Joint Care Program” that focuses on knee, hip, ankle and other joint replacement surgeries and, in doing so, provides the patient with a spiral bound “Patient Guide” for preparation up to and including surgery.  This book contains pre- and post-op guidelines and recommendations, not the least of which is physical therapy.  I’ve been doing it for two weeks now and will continue to do it up until my surgery day.  Then, of course, the physical therapy will start in the hospital.

After discharge, instead of having home physical therapy, I’ll have therapy at a regular physical therapy office– going outpatient.  The hospital wants no one “sitting around” waiting on a therapist to come to them.  My days are to be spent doing therapeutic exercise while I wait on the appointment every-other-day.  What fun!

Getting back to the pre-op physical therapy though . . . mine now also includes physical therapy concentrating on my left hip as that is my weak hip.  I’ll be getting a replacement there eventually but, in the meantime, I have some exercises that I can do to strengthen the muscles around it.  That way, hopefully, it won’t give out on me while I’m recuperating with my knee.

All of this is progressing interestingly.  Hmm, interesting.

I’d rather sew than write!  Yes, indeedy, there it is– out the open for everyone to see! I’ve spent all free time sewing these past few days.

Returning to work was fun– really slow (highly unusual for this time of year– let’s hope it holds through December!)– but whatever time I have outside of that, I’m sewing!  Monday night I worked on the quilt and had a problem so I stopped– better to stop than try to figure out how to throw the whole quilt out of a basement window that’s smaller than the quilt!

Last night, I started making a stocking for my grandson– little bugger is so cute!  He’s just starting to walk and boy, he’s putting it together fast!  Giving his mom a run for her money, for sure!

Anyway, I sewed the strips of fabric to the batting and then went in search of something to use for the collar.  I think I found something but we’ll have to see if it will let me embroider it.  If not, I’ll find something else– believe me, I have a lot of STUFF to go through before I can say that I give up.  I’ll put a picture up when I finish it.

After I do finish the stocking, I’m going to switch to quilting a different quilt– this one needs to be mailed so I want it to go out soon.  The quilt-through-the-window quilt is for a neighbor’s son so it is local and can (and probably will) take me until Christmas to finish!